It seemed fitting for my first ever visit to a children’s hospice to be to the first children’s hospice in my hometown of London – Richard House.
The purpose-built hospice is hidden away in Beckton, in the shadow of Canary Wharf and London City Airport. When they opened in 2000, they cared for just a handful of children and young people. Today, they offer vital support to more than 300, accepting referrals from across the capital, although the majority are from the east London boroughs.
Why I was there
As my colleague Elizabeth Palfreman explained in article about her visit to HospiceCare North Northumberland, Hospice UK is encouraging staff to spend three days with a local hospice to understand how care is delivered locally.
Until my visit to Richard House, my experience of hospice care had ended in personal sadness, so I wanted to visit a children’s hospice with fresh eyes.
As a new recruit to the hospice sector I was eager to learn and challenge my perceptions of children’s hospices as places where children go to die in the last few days of their life.
What I learned
That my initial preconceptions were wrong. Children’s hospices are places that are full of life, love, light and joy.
That hospices like Richard House are facing many challenges. The statutory contribution to the costs of running charitable children’s hospices is only 17% and raising funds in the current economic climate is tough . Yet I found the staff and volunteers at Richard House full of passion and resilience and impressively dedicated to providing care that can enhance lives.
I also learned a lot about just how vital volunteers are to hospice care and how they contribute in so many different ways. One volunteer struck me in particular. Every day she helps Richard House by doing a few hours of ironing for one of their hospice shops, something she’s been doing for many years and is crucial for the shop.
What I was most surprised by
The focus on simply having fun. My first day was full of Diwali celebrations, with music, dancing, traditional food and themed activities for children and their siblings. The hospice was full of members of the local community – volunteers from Canary Wharf and traditional dancers from the local community. Throughout my visit I was struck by how Richard House really was a home from home for families. One little boy, a sibling of a patient, really didn’t want to leave. He implored his mum to let him stay “just a little longer” at Richard House.
During my visit I saw many aspects of Richard House’s family support services. I was moved by the bright and colourful artwork of the siblings groups which decorated the hospice. It was really eye-opening to see how they expressed their thoughts and feelings through colour and creativity.
As I stayed longer at Richard House I wasn’t surprised that the children I met with didn’t want to leave. In one room the staff had gone to great lengths to create a space-themed room, blacked out, with glow- in-the-dark-stars, glow sticks and fluorescent paints for children to play with. As well as activities for siblings I took part in a wonderful sensory session. Led by a specialist, we used music, colour and a variety of fabrics to create a sensory experience for the children who were receiving residential care. I was astounded to see how positively the children responded to a combination of light, sound and touch.
I of course came away from my visit to Richard House with a few gems from their shop, but I also left feeling like a part of their family. The hospice is a welcoming, bright place, full of wonderful people. Now back at Hospice UK, I’ve got a renewed energy and passion and am looking forward to my next hospice visit, which I’m sure, will be very soon.
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